Have you ever seen a bright sunshine coloured flower at your home or garden? If yes, it’s an Orange marigold flower. These marigold flowers are very common and give you a bright look to your garden. There are many varieties of Marigolds present. Marigolds are easy to maintain and help a lot to protect plants against insects. In this article, let’s see all about Marigolds, how to plant them, interesting facts about Orange Marigolds.
Orange Marigold flower
Marigold flowers are very easy to plant and maintain, these plants are called annual plants as they can last only for a year. There are various colours like Red, yellow, orange, white , copper or any combination colour varies according to the breed. Marigolds grow up to 5 feet height minimum of 1 feet. These plants grow or bloom especially during summer. Marigolds are found in North America, Central America and South America and Africa. These plants can be grown at home with less maintenance.
How to grow Orange Marigolds?
Marigolds are easy to grow and are low maintenance, anyone can easily grow them even at home, most variety of Marigolds grow at a sunny place. These marigolds germinate quickly and start blooming within 8 weeks. Start sowing seeds after all frost goes away and the soil is ready, dig 1 inch of soil and sow the seeds and water it properly after planting. Within 10 days you can see seeding, need to give it 6 hours of Sun light and water it properly. Marigolds planted in a container may become over crowded so leave some space accordingly. Most varieties of Marigolds bloom at early summer and may frost in fall. However it is best not to buy hybrid seed as it may not look like its parent cultivate.
Types of Orange Marigolds
African Marigolds
African Marigolds ( Tagetes erecta ) are the biggest of the marigold variety and can grow up to 3 to 4 feet. These plants produce large flowers. These flowers are bright yellow in colour.
French Marigolds
French Marigolds (Targetes patula) are bushy plants which are about 6 to 12 inches long, have complex or small flowers compared to Tagetes erecta. These range from yellow to orange also to red colour.
Signet Marigolds
Signet Marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are the smallest of all and can grow up to 6 inches or even less, the flowers are small but have more fragrance compared to other variants and can be used for garnish too.
Marigolds season
Marigolds are plants which bloom in summer, in the US these plants start blooming in early spring, summer and up to early fall. As marigolds are beautiful, tough and highly resistant to heat it’s easy to grow them.
How to identify and treat disease in Marigolds?
If you see that your marigold plant is having any spots, yellowing, root rot uses fungicides in order to treat the diseases. Marigolds often don’t need any fertilizers, you always provide them with enough sunlight and water. The best way to treat marigolds is to provide it with air ventilation. In order to treat the disease, try to remove the affected part so that it won’t spread fully.It is always important to use containers which drain well.
How to Care Orange Marigolds?
As marigolds are easy to grow and require less care and maintenance, simple steps can help you to care for your Marigolds for the entire season.
Sunlight
Marigolds need at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight as there are sun lovers, if you are planting them in a pot try to keep them in a sunny spot. Though there can tolerate some shade, it’s best to locate them in sunny places so that they bloom more especially in summer.
Pruning
Pruning helps a plant particularly marigolds to bush out and produce more flowers. It’s always important to remove the old flowers after they bloom so that it helps the plant to produce new flowers.
Watering
Though Marigolds are water resistant, it’s important to water them regularly especially when they are young. It is important to not leave your marigolds dry for longer days especially during summer. As the saying ” marigolds are drought- resistant but still bloom best if watered regularly”.
Fertilizers
Marigolds don’t need fertilizers and other supplements, if your soil is poor you can boost the nutrition in the soil. Since Marigolds are less maintenance, you can fertilize with once every 3 weeks.
Propagation
Marigolds are an excellent plant which can easily grow through propagation. You can store the seeds and sow it in the next season.
Benefits of growing Orange Marigolds im vegetable garden?
- Growing Marigolds next to vegetable plants has numerous benefits, here are some of the benefits
- Growing Marigolds next to vegetable garden acts as a natural repellent towards unwanted insects and worms so that it won’t affect the vegetable plant. For this, french marigolds are best suited.
- It protects your garden from harmful substances or species live in soil.
- Orange marigolds safeguards your veggie plant from rabbits and deer, since there don’t like the smell of the flower.
- Marigolds always attracts bees, butterful and other pollinating insects which helps in pollination in veggie plants.
Important note: If you are planting Marigold flower along with your veggies try to water them separately as marigolds need less water compared to veggies.
